The Truth about Leaving
by whatabouthayley
Summary: Bridget is spending her last 5 days before leaving for college packing up her room and going through all of her old memories. She shares this time with different members of her family and friends, making amends and saying her goodbyes


Bridget Hennessey rushed into her bedroom, flinging the poster flooded door closed behind her. Once entering the room however, she paused, her hazel eyes gazing over every aspect of the room where she had spent so much of her time growing up. Her bed faced away from a painted wall and the one that belonged to her younger sister Kerry across from it. She was swarmed with emotion. All Bridget had been able to think about since her graduation was getting out of Detroit and away from her overbearing family and out on her own. She was to leave for San Diego State University at the end of the week and she hadn't even started packing up her room. It had been Bridget's father's dream for her to attend college, and on that note she had used her tennis skills to get her a full ride to San Diego without the usually necessary grades. Bridget had never been a great student. She didn't take pride in getting her work done and was always more focused on boys and her closest friends as well as the latest gossip. The thin blonde girl made her way over to the bed that she had slept in since the year she turned ten. She sat cross legged on the orange comforter, taking a moment to realize what was going to occur in just 5 short days. She would be leaving, leaving the family that she had never voluntarily spent enough time with, including her sister Kerry, brother Rory, mother Kate, grandfather, and cousin C.J... She would be leaving the majority of her friends, besides Jenna who would be her roommate at San Diego State in the fall. It was hard to remember a time when the two girls had not gotten along. Bridget believed that Jenna had taken over her life when she moved to time. She had hung out with the same people, had the same sense of style, and shared a similar family situation. It took the death of Bridget's father Paul for the girls to call a truce and realize the many things that they had in common and become good friends. Bridget was moving to a place where she had to start completely fresh. She had always been the popular one, not daunted by any of the other girls at her school, however, now she was once again a freshman, the bottom of the heap, and this time with a flood of people that she had never met before from all over the country. Bridget took a quick look around the room determining that it was time to start packing and set off to start working.

Three long hours later Bridget had moved to her floor and was now sitting looking through a box of old pictures. In her many years of spring cleaning of which her mother forced her to do, Bridget had learned that it was impossible to just clean. She always ended up going through anything and everything, and today was no exception. In fact she was more sentimental than ever over the little things that she had found, like an old keychain she had made or the best friends' bracelet her friend had given her for her tenth birthday. As Bridget continued to flip through the pictures one image stopped her. It was a picture of her and her ex-boyfriend Kyle sitting on the steps that led up to the school. Kyle had been her boyfriend during sophomore and the majority of junior year and had been her longest relationship. She wouldn't say that she was necessarily at any point in time in love with him, but he had been a fun guy to hang out with. In fact she wasn't sure that she had yet had her first love. Bridget talked big about love and through the term around loosely but had never experienced it herself. She believed however that Kerry had been in love, which set her back and made her feel like the less experienced and younger sister. Just as Bridget was about to toss the picture back in the box she noticed an image in the corner that brought a tear to her eye. It was the mini van that had many a time transported her to school. Her father hung out the window, an expression on his face that Bridget knew all too well. His protective face, the one that had possessed his aging features as he watched his daughters go on countless dates with different guys, as well as watching them start their first jobs or drive the car for the first time. Bridget took so many things for granted with her father during his life, and his need to protect her was one of them. She smiled a single tear rolling down her cheek as she placed the photo in a different box, the one that she would be taking with her for her college dorm. The box had already become filled with little trinkets and things that she would obviously not need but could not let go of. Just as she was making her way back to her bead to lay down for a while Kerry entered the room a huffy look on her face.

"What?" Bridget asked not even looking up knowing that her sister was indeed in a poor mood as usual.

"Gurrrrr, I hate Mom, she is being ridiculous, and apparently I am grounded for not asking to use the car. I need to get places tonight." Kerry vented lying back on her bed

Bridget silently remembered all of the times that she had felt the exact same way. Her and Kerry had constantly come into this room to blow off steam and vent to each other without the knowledge of other family members. They had made a great team when they wanted to and fought as often as they got along. They had created some great conspiracies for parties and often torturing their younger brother.

"Bridggge" Kerry whined "Are you awake?"

"Yes" Bridget replied with a slightly annoyed tone

"Well, I am so sorry for bringing you out of your dream world, but I need a plan to get out of this house TONIGHT!" Kerry rebutted sarcastically while bouncing out of her bed and making her way to her older sister. When she noticed the look on her face she broke down her outer shell.

"Bridge, what's wrong?" She asked questioning the change in her sister's usually bubbly personality.

"It's just…." Bridget slowly said, dragging out the words. "After Friday, I won't be here anymore." She stated, pondering the idea while she sunk back into the pillows on her bed. "That means no more talks like the between the two of us."

"Bridget, you know that isn't true," Kerry sulked. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and pushed 1 to speed dial her sister.

"Who the hell are you calling?" Bridget asked accusatorily "I'm hurt, the two of us are supposed to be bonding over something like this." Kerry just stared at her sister, "This I won't miss," she said sarcastically. Just then Bridget's phone began to ring.

"Oh I have to take this," she said holding up one finger to signal that she would just be a minute. "Hello…" she spoke clearly into the receiver.

"Hey Bridge," Kerry replied

"Kerry?" Bridget inquired "I think you called the wrong number"

"No I didn't" Kerry replied "I meant to call you…"

"Well, why?" Bridget asked, giving Kerry a puzzled look

"Because I wanted to make a point…look we can still have our little talks over the phone." Kerry told her sister authoritatively.

"I guess so," Bridget replied as Kerry hung up the phone. "Wait why did you hang up on me?" Bridget asked giving Kerry a death stare as she continued to talk into the phone.

"I was just trying out the off button to your stupidity." Kerry said, laughing "I guess it works."


End file.
